Secrets Behind the Lies
by stress
Summary: Part II of the Soul Mates Series: After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly. Wait. What's that? Francis Sullivan? Guess not.
1. Author's note

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

**Disclaimer**: As I've said countless times before, and I'm sure I'll say it countless times again, I, _sadly_, do not own any of the newsies. They are © to Disney, as hard as I try to get them for myself. I do, however, own Jess/Stress, Rip, Spindle and the O'Connor's. Any other character is property of the author I've borrowed them from.

**Author's Note**: It's about time that I've re-uploaded this story. Like I did with _Cuts Like A Knife_ and _One Year Anniversary_, I changed the New Yawk accent to English, as well as tried to tie the stories a bit closer together. Other than that, the story is the same – and I hope you enjoy it. This story was the connecting piece of fiction between _CLaK_ and _OYA_ and, though it took just shy of two years to complete, I adore it.

**Soul Mates Series**: This is the second installment in _Stress & Jack: Soul Mates_. It is preceded by _Cuts Like A Knife_ (I) -- it is followed by _One Year Anniversary_ (III) & _Can't Keep Running_ (IV), in case you would like to follow the story further.


	2. Spindle's and Rip's Plan

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

--

.June 27, 1897.

**Queens**

"I ain't going nowhere!" screeched the eighteen year old red headed girl as she picked up the nearest thing on the nightstand and chucked it at the door. The candle landed against the wood and splattered wax on the young man leaning up against the wall. He didn't bat an eyelash.

"Spindle, my dear, think about what you're saying." He ran one of his hands through his thick black hair while using the other hand to bring his cigarette to his lips. "It's been two years now. It's time to move on."

Spindle stopped and threw herself onto the bed in the small, secluded guest room of the Queens Newsgirls' Lodging House. "But, Rip, we just can't let that slut get away with all she did." Pouting, Spindle crossed her arms over her chest and turned her head away from her boyfriend of the last four years.

Rip sighed and walked over to sit next to Spindle on the bed. "Don't you worry, Spindle. I want to get our revenge on Jess just as much as you do but it's been two years now. She probably has forgotten all about us and that's just the way we want it. Remember? But like I explained to you before, we still can't do anything for awhile."

Spindle stood up abruptly, fire in her emerald green eyes. "I've waited with you for two years now. While we're waiting in Queens, she's probably living it up over in Manhattan with all of her new friends. I mean, I want to act now!"

Rip reached out his hand and pulled Spindle down to sit on his lap. "Spindle, I know how long we've been waiting. But it's part of the plan. Remember? we're going to leave New York and take all of your best newsies with us. We'll go out West for a bit until we got so much dough and power we can take any of those newsies in Manhattan."

"_And I'll get my revenge on the "Li'l Miss" that left me those two years ago"_, Rip added to himself as he smiled. Though he had been happy with Spindle, to whom he had returned to after the last encounter with Jess in that alley two years ago, Rip never forgave her for leaving him. Though it hurt himself to admit it, if she came strolling in the door of the Queens Newsgirls' Lodging House at that very moment, Rip would drop Spindle in a second. But he knew that would never happen so he pushed on with his elaborate plan of revenge. A plan that Spindle agreed wholeheartedly with. If only she knew the reasons why Rip pursued the revenge with such vengeance... "Don't worry, Spindle. We'll all love it in California," he drawled, a rare amount of excitement shining in his ice blue eyes, "and the farther we get from New York right now, the better. I still can't believe we stayed for these last two years."

Spindle, slightly calmer at Rip's soothing words, threw her arms around his neck. "I love you, Rip. I'm sure I'll love it in California too."

"Did you talk to some of your girls yet?"

"No. I was hoping to talk you into getting our revenge a li'l early, but" she added when Rip's eyes flashed, "I realize that your plan is a lot better than mine." Even after being with Rip for four years, Spindle was afraid of him and, even moreso, afraid of losing him. The memory of the time when she caught Jess and Rip together in that alley exchanging their "I-love-you"'s all came rushing back as she sat in that room, arms around Rip. She had thought that he was gone forever and was so ecstatic when he returned to her and explained what had happened. Of course Rip was just humoring the girl that had fallen hopelessly in love with him. Rip was such a caring soul; it was so like him to pretend that he loved her just to spare Jess her hurt feelings. Unfortunately that led to Rip being beaten by two Manhattan newsies that had been befriended by Jess. "I wonder what that tramp did to get those boys to beat up me baby?" she whispered to herself.

Even in her thoughts Spindle referred to Jess as that "tramp".

"Of course my plan is better. That's why I'm the brains of the operration, eh?" Rip leaned down to kiss his girlfriend, ignoring her annoyed expression that she tried so desperately to hide as he jarred her back to reality; out of her daydreams of Jess laying in a hidden alley in a pool of her own blood. "Let me guess, Spindle. Thinking about the different ways that you plan on killing Jess when our revenge plot goes through?" he asked after he broke their kiss.

Spindle giggled coyly, a trait most unlike her. Yet, her demented thoughts of revenge always made Spindle a little different. "How did you guess, Rip?"

Rip ruffled Spindle's long, straight red hair as he enveloped her into a tight bear hug. "You could have had all this, Miss Jess. Now though, you're going to have to pay," he thought to himself, smiling at the long-term plan that he was installing to get revenge on the poor girl.

No one left Rip and got away with it. Though it would probably take a good five or so years to make sure their plan was totally in effect, the time and effort that Rip, Spindle and the selected newsies of Queens, would put into it would be worth it in the long run. The one person that had the unfortunate luck to leave Rip was going to realize that it possibly wasn't the smartest thing to do.


	3. Bottle Alley

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

--

**Manhattan**

"Rise and shine my ladies." The quiet and soothing voice, spoken with a hint of a Polish accent, called to the sleeping girls' as they continued to slumber in the Bottle Alley Lodging House. The owner of that voice, a tall grey-haired women who'se genial face hid most of her fifty-one years, walked over to the first bunk and gently shook the occupant of the top bunk awake. "Rise and shine, Stress."

Fifteen year old Stress pushed her long, curly blondish-brown mop of hair out of her yellow-green eyes as she rolled over onto her belly. "I don't want to get up, Mrs. Cook. Let me be."

Mrs. Marsewicz, known as Mrs. Cook to all of her lodgers, merely chuckled and reached down to wake up Quirky, who slept directly below Stress. "Up, up, up. C'mon Quirky, your turn."

The only answer from the lump on the lower bunk was a muffled groan and a shake of her reddish brown head. The girl on the bottom bunk next to Quirky's, Moth - a shy blonde whose extraordinary purple eyes were clamped shut at the moment - snuggled deeper under her ragged blanket. "Not you too, Moth. I thought you hated dark places," Mrs. Cook added with a smile as she headed off to wake Spin.

Surprisingly Spin was pretty much awake and put up no resistance to Mrs. Cook's morning wake-up call. Rubbing her ice blue eyes, Spin sat up in her bunk and leaned over to wake up Stripes. "Wakey-wakey, Stripes." Stripes stirred in her bunk and yawned. "Is it morning already, Spin?"

Yanking the blanket off of her bunk and pulling her newsies cap over her brown hair, Spin turned to face Stripes. "Sure thing, Stripes. Time to sell the papes, sleepyhead," she snickered as she ruffled Stripes' short blonde hair before she had the chance to duck away. When Stripes was out of Spin's reach she ducked around Spin, and laughing gleefully, snatched the hat off of Spin's head. Shrieking with surprise as her hair fell in her eyes, Spin took off after Stripes, pointing as Stripes bumped into Stress and Quirky at the water pump.

"Girls, break it up!" cried Mocking Boid, tying her long auburn curls back with a blue kerchief, as she exited from one of the changing stalls in the backside of the bunkroom. Mocking Boid was always acting like the "mother" to her fellow newsgirls and often became the peacemaker between any of the petty squabbles that broke out in the lodging house. "Hey!" she shrieked as both Stripes and Spin rushed by her, knocking her glasses off in the process as she fell over onto the floor.

"Ha ha ha!" tittered Moth as she ran a brush through her blonde hair. Quirky shot her a "this-ain't-the-time-to-laugh" look as she ran passed Moth to offer Mocking Boid a hand to stand up.

"Moth, you laugh too much." giggled Stress as she walked to where Spin had Stripes backed into a corner.

"I do not!" cried Moth as she spied the corner where Spin was tickling Stripes. As Stripes gave Spin back her hat and fell to the floor gasping for breath, Moth broke out into another round of hearty laughter. As Stress reached over to help Stripes to her feet, giving Spin a playful shove as she raised her arms in victory, her hat clutched in her right hand, Moth leaned against the sink basin and stopped laughing for a moment. "Ya know what, Stress. I think you're right."

Stress looked up at Moth, her green eyes flashing yellow as she grinned. "I'm always right."

Meanwhile, two other regular lodgers in the Bottle Alley Lodging House, Gip and Bookie, were helping Mrs. Cook come up with a way to wake up the deepest sleeper in the whole of New York, Martini.

"Martini, there. Tis time to sell the papers," Mrs. Cook said as she shook Martini's frame. As she continued to snore in her bunk, Mrs. Cook slumped her shoulders and turned to Bookie and Gip. "Well girls, how do we get her up today?"

Gip pulled on one of her dark braids as looked at the quiet girl laying on the bunk right at her eye level. "Why don't we just shove her out of her bunk? When she lands on the ground, she should be awake, eh?"

Bookie laughed as she imagined Martini's reaction if she found herself being pushed out of her bunk. "No, Gip, I got a better idea."

"The ol' standby?" Gip asked with a knowing smile.

Bookie nodded. "The ol' standby."


	4. The Distribution Center

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

--

Mrs. Cook shook her head. "When am I going to learn to just use that?" she murmured as she left the task of waking Martini to her friends. Bookie stood on her tippy-toes so that she could move Martini's long blonde hair away from one of her ears to whisper a message. "Psst, Martini. Blink's here..."

At the mention of her boyfriend's name Martini's blue eyes sprung open. "What? Where?" she cried as she gathered her blanket up to her chin and looked around the room hurriedly. She scowled when she spied Gip and Bookie by the side of her bunk laughing up a storm. "Man, I hate it when you girls do that," she muttered as she slowly got out of bed and made her way to the water pump.

"Morning Martini. How'd you sleep?" Stress asked, the mischevious glint in her eye throwing off the innocent look she was going for.

Martini splashed some water on her face before facing Stress. "Just for once can you make sure that Gip and Bookie don't use the ol' standby to wake me up? I thought we're was pals Stress," she pouted, not even trying to hide her smile.

Stress reached over and patted Martini on her head. "Sure, Martini, we're pals. For, what, two whole years now, right?"

As Bookie and Gip walked over to join the two at the water pump, giving each other hi-fives at another successful Martini-wake-up, Martini rolled her eyes. "Two years already? Damn, and we still let you live here?"

"What are you talking about, Martini?" Bookie asked, straightening her newsie hat over her short brown hair.

"I was just saying that it's so hard to believe that it's been two years already since Jack found our li'l Stressie here in that alley," Martini smirked.

Stress laughed with Gip and Bookie before responding. "You know that Jack is the only one that can call me Stressie and live."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, _Stressie_," Gip added in a sarcastic tone. Gip ducked Stress's playful slap at her statement. Gip was about to retaliate when Mocking Boid stepped in between the two girls.

"I hate to break up this li'l stroll down memory lane and all but there are papes to sell, eh girls?" Mocking Boid intervened, reminding all the newsgirls that their day's work hadn't even begun yet.

Quirky groaned as she walked right next to her friend. "Awww, MB, why do you have to always remind us when we're having fun?"

"It's just me nature," Mocking Boid replied smugly. The other girls rolled their eyes and got ready to leave. As they exited the lodging house and made their way to the distribution center, the girls discussed who their selling partners would be for the day.

"Hey Bookie. Are you going to spend the day with Race down at Sheepshead Bay?" called Spin. Bookie had hitched a trolley with Race everyday since they had officially started dating only a few months before. They had an interesting relationship; After knowing, and liking, each other for close to two years the two of them, after much prodding from Martini and Stripes (the Bottle Alley Lodging House's resident match-makers), the two confessed their feelings and started dating.

"Of course. How about you, Martini? Gonna spend the day with Blink?" Bookie added with a wink. Martini and Blink were another of the cutesy-wutesy couples in the newsie profession. The two of them had known each other for as long as Bookie and Race, and it took them about the same amount of time to tell each other how much they cared for each other. But, just like Bookie and Race, they were extremely happy now that they had gotten together.

"Yup, over in Central Park, I believe. Any of you girls going off together?" Martini asked, addressing the other girls.

"I'm going to go down to the Harbor today. Any of you want to come?" Stripes threw out to the crowd.

"I'll go," answered Mocking Boid as Spin nodded her agreement.

Moth looked up at the sky thoughtfully. "I think I'm just going to walk around today and go where me feet take me. Anyone up for that?"

"Sounds like fun. Count me in," Quirky said, cheerfully. "Hey Stress, Gip, want to come?"

Stress appeared to blush for a second before she answered Quirky. "No thanks. I'm going to sell with Jack today."

As the other girls laughed and poked fun at Stress, Quirky rolled her eyes. "I should have known. Who else would _Stressie _sell with?"

"That ain't funny, Quirky. And why ain't you selling with Jake today?" Stress asked, changing the subject. She didn't like to think about it much but whenever she did think of Jack, her best friend of the past two years, she got butterflies in her stomach. Dismissing it as nothing more than gratitude at his saving of her life from some one from her past - someone whose name is never mentioned, not even in her thoughts - Stress always changed the subject.

"I'm going to drag Jake along with me, Stress. And don't think that I didn't notice that you changed the subject, Mrs. Cowboy," Quirky said as she ducked behind Gip to avoid Stress's annoyed glare. If there was one thing you didn't want to do it was tease Stress about her relationship with Jack. When she was satisfied that Stress wouldn't hit her, Quirky looked up at Gip. "Well, since Stress is going with Jacky-Boy, how about you, Gip?"

Gip stopped in her tracks, which caused Quirky to run right into her. "No, I think I'm just going to sell by meself, today," she whispered, most un-Gip-like, as she blushed.

Stress noticed the change in Gip's behavior and cocked her head to the side. "Are you sure, Gip? You can always sell with me and Jack."

Gip nodded slowly, her dark braids resting on her shoulders. "I'm sure."

Spin, not looking convinced, tried to get Gip to sell with her, Stripes and Mocking Boid. "C'mon, Gip. It ain't no fun to sell alone. Why not come with me, Stripes and MB? It'll be fun."

Before Gip could speak up, Moth opened her mouth. "No, Spin. If Gip wants to sell by herself, we should let her." If there was anyone who understood what it meant to need to be alone at some times, it was Moth.

"Thanks Stress, thanks Spin, but Moth is right. I just need to be alone today," Gip replied, her faint Southern accent slipping in and out of her New York accent.

"If you say so," Stress said as she approached the line outside the distribution center. Dropping the entire subject of Gip's sudden need of solitude, she turned to face Martini as she gestured at the long line of newsies in front of them. "See what happens when you need to get a few more Blink dreams in?"


	5. The Morning Charades

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

--

"Did I just hear someone say my name?" At the mention of his name, Blink appeared, his trademark grin plastered on his face.

"Just Stress, poking fun at me again," Martini said with a giggle as Blink slung his arm over her shoulder and began to kiss her neck.

Blink turned to face Stress, mockingly pointing his finger in her face, "You shouldn't make fun of me girl, Stress."

Stress grinned and held up her fists. "Yeah, Blink. Who's going to stop me? You?" She began to prance around Blink and Martini while the rest of their friends gathered around to witness their morning charades.

"I know. How about we get your man to help us out, eh, Stressie?" Race called as he stood by Bookie's side, offering her half of his stack of papers.

"And who would that be, Race?" Stress shot back.

Mush strolled off line, carrying his bundle over to the others. Arriving just in time to hear Stress' retort, he shifted his papers from his left hand to his right and slung his left arm around her waist. "Come now, Stress. I think it's time that we come clean. I mean, we've been together for almost two months now."

"What!" screeched Spin as she rushed forward and grabbed Mush's arm.

Both Mush and Stress cracked up laughing, with the others joining in right after, at the shocked expression on Spin's face.

"I'm just kidding, Spin. Ya know that you're the only girl for me," Mush heaved his papers at Stress, nearly buckling her knees with the unexpected weight, and wrapped Spin in a tight bear hug.

"Mmmm..." Spin mumbled, her words being cut off by the kisses Mush was giving her.

"Hey, break it up. Break it up. Some of us other guys gots girls we need to see too," Jake shouted with a grin as he made his way past Mush and Spin, in order to reach Quirky. "Hey love. I bought your papes this morning since I had a feeling that you girls would be late."

Quirky gave him a quick peck on the cheek before accepting the stack of papers he handed her. Then, facing Moth, Mocking Boid, Stress, Gip and Stripes, she winked. "That's why you girls need a guy. Ya get them trained to do all sorts of stuff for you!"

"Here, here!" chanted Bookie, Spin and Martini in unison, all three of them waving the stack of papers that their respective boyfriends had bought them.

"Hey..." came the boys' voices as they all realized exactly what was said about them all.

Watching the four boys stand there with their mouths open, eyes glazed over and their hair still mussed from the previous night's sleep, the Bottle Alley girls all cracked up laughing. Who said life as a newsie wasn't fun?

Clutching her side, trying to control her laughter, Stress spoke first. "Hey fellas, have any of you'se seen Jack? He's usually one of the first ones to buy his papes."

Moth's purple eyes lit up and she started to whisper "Ooohh..."

Soon Stripes, Spin, Mocking Boid, Quirky, Martini, Gip and Bookie joined in. The boys, on the other hand, just made kissy faces in her direction. They thought themselves too mature to whisper "Ooohh..." and giggle.

"I was just worried about me selling partner, that's all. Just wondering if I was going to go have to follow in Gip's footsteps and go solo today." The crimson staining her cheeks only added to the level of laughter that her fellow newsies were attaining. "Guys, stop it or I'll soak you." When her words did nothing to stop them all, Stress shook her head and stepped on line. "I live with a lodging house full of loons, I swear."

Martini was the first one to calm down and catch her breath. "See, Stressie, all you gotta do, like Quirky said, is get together with Jacky-Boy and you'll never have to wait on this line again," straightening the brown hat perched on her blonde head, the hat she permanently "borrowed" from her boyfriend, Martini grinned slyly, "cause then we get to sleep later while they wait on this line for us."

"Hey!" Blink cried, swatting her gently on her arm, before embracing her tightly.

Stress just rolled her eyes and motioned for the other single girls to get on line with her. Well, technically, Stripes wasn't single. She had been dating a new Brooklyn Newsie, Spit or Spot or some weird name like that, for a few months now, but she wouldn't let any of the girls meet him. But the other girls, Stress, Mocking Boid, Moth, and Gip, were the "Singles", the elite group of Manhattan newsgirls who were proud to say they didn't need a man to get by.

"Hey Stressie!"

Stress looked up at the mention of Jack's childhood pet name for her, getting annoyed that everyone but Jack was using it on her that morning. Her face broke into a grin when she bolted from the line and threw her arms around Jack's neck.

Welcome to their morning ritual! One day, a few months back, Stress had been telling Jack about the latest plot that Stripes and Martini had had to get them together. Finding it humorous that all of their friends were convinced they should become a couple, the two of them decided to act like one at the distribution center the next day. When Jack and Stress started mauling each other just outside the gate the next morning, you could probably have heard the sound of Martini and Stripes' jaws dropping all the way over in Jersey.

Stress and Jack were so pleased at the reaction that they received, they had continued their morning game ever since. This morning, Stress threw her arms around Jack's neck, running slow enough to give him a chance to place his papers on the ground before he got bowled over.

"Oh, Jacky me darling. I thought you was gone forever!" Stress announced with an exaggerated Southern bell accent.

Jack winked and played along. "I could never leave you', precious. Give daddy some sugar!" Jack shouted, bending his head down to meet her's.

As much as Stress loved him as her friend and all, and as much as she enjoyed playing around with him, Stress kissing Jack was a no-no. In fact, Stress kissing anyone at all was a no-no. She hadn't kissed anyone since _that guy - _that Rip - and she didn't have any plans on doing so anytime soon. "Damn, I mentioned his names in me thoughts, yuck," she thought to herself, miffed that she had even thought that bastard's name. Shaking her head slightly, she remembered the act that she and Jack were putting on and ducked to avoid his lips. Then, with a playful slap to his face, she remarked "Fresh."

Jack laughed, his chocolate eyes twinkling mischievously, as he picked up the stack of papers and handed half to Stress. "Yeah, well, it was worth a try, right? Uh- Did I miss something?" he questioned, scratching his cowboy hat adorned head, when the entire crowd of his friends burst out into laughing upon seeing that he had handed Stress her half of the papers.

Stress, now beet red, shook her head and grabbed his arm. "Trust me, Jack, you don't want to know."


	6. Where were you?

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

--

Ignoring the snickers and giggles from all of the other newsies, Jack and Stress headed off to sell their papers. It was a beautiful summer morning, even if it was hot and nasty out.

Jack reached out and plucked a lock of Stress' hair. "By the way your hair is frizzing this morning I'd have to say it's really humid."

Stress playfully smacked him on the arm and moved her hair out of his reach. "Not funny, Jack. Not funny."

"I thought it was," he remarked, while approaching an elderly couple and selling them a paper. Stress waited until Jack had tipped his hat in thanks before asking him something that had been bugging her since they had left the distribution center. "Jack why were you so late this morning? Usually you're the first one to buy your papes, but today you wasn't."

Jack pretended to fumble with his papers and purposely looked anywhere but in her green eyes. "As I recall, I was the one that bought your papes this morning, eh Stressie?"

"That ain't the point, Jack. I want to know what was so important that you let the others buy their papes first." Stress rested her arm gently on his and smiled when she heard him sigh. For a second there she thought he wasn't going to tell her. They had never had secrets from each other in their two years of friendship and she didn't want them to start now.

"Well, you see, it's this." Jack removed his cowboy hat, letting it hang down his shoulders, while he ran a hand through his thick brown hair.

Stress began to feel the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Watching Jack squirm around was getting her extremely nervous. She looked at the four or five papers he held in his hand and the ten or so in hers and decided that selling could wait until later. "Jack, let's go have a little something to eat while we talk, k?"

Jack looked at Stress and saw that she was serious. "She ain't going to let this go, is she?" he thought to himself. "Of course me best friend is going to be the most stubborn of them all." He sighed again and lifted the remainder of his papes over his head. "Load of gold found at the bottom of the Hudson!" he yelled and in no time all of his papers and most of Stress' were snatched up.

Stress thanked the last of the customers, pocketing the nickel that Jack's "improved" headline had just earned her, and bowed. "Nice headline there, buddy. Are you ready now?"

Jack placed his cowboy back on his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever you say, Stressie. Let's go."


	7. Gip and her mystery man

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

--

**Back at the Distribution Center**

"One of these days those two are going to realize that they are meant for each other," Stripes chuckled as Stress grabbed Jack's arm and dragged him away from the rest of the newsies.

"Yeah, one of these days," Martini agreed.

Blink groaned as he tightened his grip on his girl. "Now, now, Martini. What did those two say about you and Stripes here playing matchmaker?"

Martini silenced Blink's questions with quick kisses as everyone else around them busted out laughing.

"I hate to leave this li'l party we got going on here, but me and Bookie have a trolley that's calling our names." Race took one last drag of his morning cigar, tossed it on the ground, grabbed Bookie's hand and headed off on his way to Sheepshead Bay.

"Yeah, I guess I'm going to go too," Moth said, shifting her papers under her right arm. "Quirky, you ready?"

"Sure. Jake, we're going to go with Moth today, alright?" Quirky looked up at Jake, her eyes sparkling in a way that dared him to object.

Jake leaned forward and kissed her on her nose. "Sure thing, Quirky, there."

Moth rolled her eyes and whispered to Mocking Boid. "This is what I have to deal with today? God help me."

Mocking Boid tried to stifle her giggle, but failed miserably. When the others heard her snort, she straightened up and addressed Spin and Stripes. "Spin, Stripes, are you'se two still going to go to the harbor?"

While Stripes nodded, Spin looked over at Mush. "Sounds fine to me," he shrugged as he pulled Spin closer to him.

Spin giggled slightly and snuggled her face in Mush's chest. "Later, Mush."

Stripes cleared her throat loudly and then laughed when she saw Spin and Mush jump apart. "Gip, you sure you want to go off by yourself?"

Gip nodded quickly. "Yeah." She had waited on line with Stripes, Moth and Mocking Boid to get their papers, but now that she was all set to go, she wanted to be alone. "I'll meet up with you girls later at the house."

"Alright, Gip. See you later," Moth said as she gave the other girls warning looks.

Stripes, Spin, Quirky, Martini and Mocking Boid saw her warning look and interpreted it appropriately. None of the girls, or guys for that matter, said anything as Gip headed off through Newsies Square, just past the giant Horace Greeley statue, by herself.

Gip walked out a few feet and glanced backwards slightly. "Good, no one's following me." She nodded once and continued walking until she reached the alley beside the bookstore just outside Newsies Square.

"There you are."

Gip's eyes lit up as she heard the familiar voice call from behind a stack of boxes in the alley. "Yup, I'm here." She placed her papers on the ground and headed to where the voice had called.

There, leaning against the wall, stood a young man, around nineteen, with blonde hair and emerald green eyes. He held himself tall and proud, as if he were royalty. It was his self-confidence and stature that had earned him his nickname after all. King. King, the leader of the Manhattan newsies for the past few years. King, Gypsy's secret lover of the past six months. King, the man who would be leaving New York in three days.

But, of course, not many people knew of King's urgency to leave the city. In fact, only one person knew. And it wasn't Gip.

"Gip." He murmured her name as he walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her frame. As he felt the weight of her head on his shoulders, he thought back to the first time he had realized that he had fallen hard for her. It had been close to two years ago; He and Jack had rescued Stress and Gip from a crazed Queens newsie, Rip, who had been trying to get his sick and twisted idea of revenge on Stress. From that moment, when he had seen Gip's helpless body lying in that dark alley, he had knew he was in love.

It had taken awhile, over a year in fact, for him to get up the nerve to tell Gip how he felt. He knew that Gip had had some bad experiences with men in the past, so he was prepared for the battle for her heart. It had been a hard and long one, but in the end he had won. The only condition of their relationship was that it was kept secret.

King shook his head at that one. He could never understand at first why Gip insisted on keeping their love a secret. It took a few months, but he had finally realized that Gip was trying, in her own way, to protect him. Griff, that bastard from her past, would be sure to hear if she was with someone new, especially if he was the leader of the Manhattan newsies.

Still clinging tight to Gip, King thought back to the letter he had received the week before.

" _Matthew,_

_You don't know how long and hard I have searched for an address to contact you. Finally, though, I think one of my contacts have proved truthful. It's about Mother, dear brother. Unfortunately, she has not been well since you left us those five years ago. Though no one blames you and we do understand why you had to leave us, we think that it's time for you to come home and say goodbye. Yes, goodbye. Mother will not be getting better again. The doctor's have given her two weeks._

_Matthew, her last request is to say goodbye. Please don't deny her that._

_Your Sister, _

_Suzette _"

King sighed. He had left his hometown in Connecticut five years ago and had never once looked back. But he couldn't deny his mother her last request. And besides, who could, or wanted to, be a newsie forever?

Gip heard his sigh and lifted her head to meet his eyes. "Is there something wrong, King?"

King smiled, a sad and lonely smile that did not meet his eyes. "Remember, you're going to find yourself a nice job in Connecticut so you can make enough money to marry Gip," he reminded himself. As much as his leaving might hurt her now, it was all being done for her in the long run. At least, that's what he kept telling himself. "Gip..."

"Yes, King?" Gip shook slightly in his arms, anticipating his words. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew something was coming. Something she didn't want to hear.

"Gip, I think we need to talk." he whispered into her hair. When he felt her head slowly nod, he kissed her gently and led her out of the alley. This time of day the best place to talk was Tibby's.


	8. Back to Queens

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

--

**Back in Queens**

Rip gave Spindle one last squeeze before letting go and reaching for the door handle. "C'mon, Spindle. Let's round up the lucky newsies who're coming with us to California."

Spindle giggled and pushed back her red hair. She loved it when Rip took charge. "What do we do if they decide not to come?" she asked hesitantly, not bothering with raising her tough front until she was confronting her newsies.

Rip stopped for a moment and stared straight ahead. "You still got that pocket knife on you?"

Spindle smiled. "of course, Rip."

"Good." He held the door open for Spindle and, once she had exited the guest room, slammed it tight behind them. "Good."

"Did you decide yet who we're taking with us? I mean, they gotta be the best."

"I was thinking that we'd take Corner, Quipster, Tunes, Moneybags, Danger and Rocks with us. Those four girls have been loyal to you ever since Jess left, so I don't think they would mind helping with our plan. And I need a couple of me fellas to come with us too."

Spindle scowled at the mention of Danger's name. "We have to take that oaf with us? He ain't strong newsie material."

Rip paused and ruffled Spindle's hair. "Don't you worry, Spindle, I got plans for us all."

"Whatever you say, Rip. By the way, why don't we ask Grace to come along, too? She's one of the best newsies we got here and she seems pretty loyal."

Rip shifted his weight from one foot to the other and tried his hardest not to look guilty. It wasn't that hard. "No, she was too close to Jess. She wouldn't want to hurt her and that might cause us some trouble."

But Spindle wouldn't let that matter drop. "But, Rip, if she and Jess were such good pals, how come she still lives in Queens while Jess is over in Manhattan?"

He opened his mouth, but shut it at once. She had him stumped. To tell the truth, he didn't know why Grace still remained in Queens when it would be pretty easy to go over and live with Jess in Manhattan. But he did know why Grace had to stay in Queens when the others headed West. He just had to remind Grace why.

And that was just what he intended to do.

"Y'know what, Spindle? Let's just drop it. We got the newsies who we think will work out fine and we don't need no more." His blue eyes turned ice cold as he stared down at Spindle.

"Whatever you say, Rip," Spindle squeaked out as she shivered. Rip's eyes always had that effect on her.

"Well, what I say right now is that you need to get all of the people that we picked together in the guest room of the lodging house within the next two hours. I gotta take care of some business and then I'll be back to talk with them. Then, if everything goes according to plan, we leave in a few days." Once Rip finished his sentence, he reached in his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. "Man, I love being me," he whispered as he lit the cigarette and took a drag.

Spindle looked puzzled for a second before questioning one of the things that Rip had said. "What business do you gotta take care of?"

Rip inhaled a large amount of smoke and blew it directly in Spindle's face. "My business."

If it was anyone but Rip doing that to her, Spindle would have turned them to shish kebobs. As it was, her right hand was twitching to reach for her pocket knife. But, it was Rip, her Rip, and he could do anything he wanted to her.

Anything.


	9. Ben thinks they're nuts

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

--

**Inside Tibby's**

"After you," kidded Jack as he held the restaurant door open for Stress. "What's the matter?" he asked when he saw her scowl and stomp over to a nearby booth.

"Jack, I'm trying to be serious and you just want to kid around today," Stress explained as she plopped herself onto the seat, placing the three or so papers she hadn't sold on the tabletop of their booth..

Jack, empty-handed since he had sold every last one of his papers, slid into his seat gracefully, his smile widening at her obvious distress. "What's there to be serious about, Stressie?"

"Listen. I know that there's something going on, and I also know that you know what it is. Why don't we just cut to the chase and talk about it." Stress sat up in the booth and leaned forward, eager to know what had delayed Jack that morning.

"Excuse me. Can I get you kids anything today?" The waiter, a tall and lanky kid, maybe two years older than Jack and Stress, with black hair and brown eyes, asked as he approached their booth and interrupted their conversation.

Stress saw the gleam in Jack's eye that meant "I ain't a kid" and jumped in before Jack had a chance to get them kicked out of the restaurant. "Just a couple of waters. We'll order our food later."

The waiter nodded. "Sure, just let me know when you and your boyfriend here are ready to order."

"He ain't me boyfriend," she said automatically as she slouched back in her seat, flipping her hair out from behind her.

"Really. In that case, my name is Ben and--" The waiter began to lean over the table to extend his hand to Stress but stopped when Jack stood in front of him.

"If you don't mind, we'll let you know when we're ready to order our food. Thank you." Jack just glared at him until he got the hint and walked away, muttering something about "just making friends with the customers."

"Cowboy! I can't believe you just did that! He was just being friendly," Stress hissed her words at Jack as her eyes flashed yellow.

Jack flinched slightly at the name "Cowboy." He knew that Stress only called him that when she was either really annoyed or really angry at something he had done. "I'm sorry, Stressie, but he was all getting in our business and then he was basically falling all over you and..."

Stress giggled at the way Jack was getting all flustered. "Jack, where you jealous of him?"

Jack turned beet red. "No, of course not."

"Because he's awful cute. Ya want to do me a favor and see if he has a girl?" Stress tried to hide her smile as she antagonized her pal. It was just so much fun to make fun of Jack.

"No! I mean, no. If you like him so much, you can do it yourself." It was hard to miss the pouting note in his voice.

"I'm just kidding Jack. If there ever comes a day when I settle down and get meself a guy, you can be sure that it'll be you."

"Is that a threat or a promise?"

"It's a promise, Jack." Stress smiled warmly at Jack, just glad that she had a friend that she could joke around with without having to worry about having to _perform_. A friend with whom she could be herself, without having to put up a tough front. A friend with whom she didn't have any secrets from. "Secrets..." she murmured to herself. She had almost forgotten why she was in Tibby's with Jack in the first place. "Jack, are you going to tell me about what happened this morning or what?"

"Or what," Jack announced, looking down at the tabletop.

_Bam_. Jack jumped in his seat when he heard Stress' palm slap against the table. "Jack, don't play games with me. I want to know what's going on, and I want to know now."

"But, Stressie, I promised I wouldn't tell." Jack looked up, trying to use his puppy-dog eyes to get Stress to drop the subject.

It didn't work. "Jack, don't you trust me? I'm your best pal, you can tell me anything."

"I know."

"And we ain't ever had secrets before, right?"

"Right."

"Do you want to start now?" Stress leaned over the table and, using her left hand to support her torso, lifted Jack's head with her right hand so that he had to look her in her eyes when he answered.

"No. We ain't ever going to have secrets," Jack barely whispered the word as he sat in the noisy restaurant, staring into her green eyes.

"Are you ready to order ye-- Oops, guess not." Ben, the waiter, walked up to the table, surveyed the serious scene he had walked in on and turned around to head back to the kitchen, now muttering "sure he's not your boyfriend, sure..."

Stress broke her gaze with Jack when she started to giggle. "I can just imagine how weird we look right now, eh?"

Jack joined in. "Yeah, he must think we are the strangest streetrats he's ever seen in here."

"Yeah, well, I've seen worse." Stress just smiled for a moment and then, for no apparent reason, just dropped her head down onto her arms.

"Stressie, are you'se O.K.?" Jack asked, sounding a little panicked.

"Yeah, Jack. I'm fine. It's just that every time I'm about to find out what's going on, something or someone just interrupts. I'm getting aggramavated here."

Jack stifled a chortle at her attempt to sound smarter by using large words, but it came out as a snort instead. "Alright, since you're me best pal--"

Stress couldn't help herself though. "Did you just snort?"

Jack turned red again as he swatted playfully at her. "Y'know I was just about to tell you but now I think I'll just change me mind."

"I'm sorry, Jack. I didn't mean it! Please tell me," Stress begged, clasping her hands in front of her.

"Nope, don't think I will," Jack stated, crossing his arms over his chest and turning his face away from her's.

Stress slid out of her seat and kneeled next to his. "C'mon, Jacky-Boy. I'll be good, I swear." When she didn't get an answer from him, she began to tickle him, heading straight for his ticklish spot under his arms.

Jack began to wiggle in his seat, trying to evade her ticking fingers. "I give, I give."

"What, Jacky? I can't hear you," Stress said loudly as she continued to tickle him.

"Are you ready no-- Nope, not yet either." Ben took one look at the two of them and just shook his head. "Since when do we serve monkeys here at Tibby's" were his mutterings this time around.

Stress stopped tickling Jack for a moment and just stared after Ben. "Oh my God, he must seriously think we're loons," she gasped through her still heavy laughter.

Jack just shook his head as he scooted in his seat in an attempt to get farther away from Stress' fingers. "If I promise to tell you why I was late to the distribution center this morning will you stop tickling me and never breath a word of what I tell you to any one?"

Stress nodded, a satisfied yet eager grin on her face. "Of course, Jack."

Jack spit into his hand and held it out to Stress. Once she did the same, he leaned back in his seat and began to relax. A newsies spit shake was their word; He had no worries that Stress would spill the beans anyways, and now that she had shook with him, he knew that she couldn't. "Alright, this is what happened..."


	10. Stress' fault

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

--

**Inside Tibby's**

Quickly scanning the booths of Tibby's to make sure that none of his newsies were enjoying a break from selling, King ushered Gip inside the restaurant. What he had to tell his girlfriend, King did not want anyone else overhearing.

After making sure that Gip was sitting comfortably in her seat, King slid into the one opposite of her's. "Gip, there..." he began, clutching her tiny hand in his larger one. "I...I...I need to use the restroom," he blurted out as he anxiously rose from his seat and ran to the nearest stall.

Gip opened her mouth slightly to say something but never got the chance. King was much too fast for her. "Damn," she swore as she laid her head on the table, "at this rate King'll never tell me what's going on." She sighed to herself and remained rested on the wood.

Her ears perked up, though, when she heard jolly laughter coming from the table directly behind her's. Though she couldn't see the table's occupants, when one of them spoke, she knew who it was immediately. "Oh my God, he must seriously think we're loons." "Stress, what is she doing here right now?" Gip thought to herself, cocking her ear in the direction of Stress' voice to hear the rest of the conversation.

"If I promise to tell you why I was late to the distribution center this morning will you stop tickling me and never breath a word of what I tell you to any one?" And there was Jack's voice.

"Of course, Jack." Gip, her attention drawn to their words, drew in a breath. "Whatever they're talking about it's gotta be good," she murmured when she heard the sound of their palms slapping against each other. If Jack was making his best friend swear on a spit-shake, it was serious.

Jack drew in a deep breath. "Alright, this is what happened," he began before pausing for a moment, "King's going to kill me when he finds out I told you, Stress."

Gip's stomach sank. _King?_ "I wonder if this is what King needs to tell me," she murmured, waiting for Stress to prod Jack into telling her anyway.

And, like Gip predicted, prodding Jack is exactly what Stress did. "But, Jack, King ain't going to find out, is he?"

"I guess you're right. Anyway, this all happened about a week ago. I was talking to King about something--"

"What were you talking about?" Stress interrupted.

"Twasn't nothing important. Anyway,--"

"Jack, I asked you what you and King was talking about." Stress was very nosy and if she wanted to know something, it was always better for her to find out. She always would, anyways.

Gip giggled when she heard Jack mumble his response then try to continue with his story.

"Jack..." Stress said warningly.

"Alright already. Ya want to know, I'll tell you. Me and King was talking about you and Gip." Even though she couldn't see Jack's face, Gip could tell by the tone of his voice that he was blushing.

"Oh. Well, continue with the story then." As was Stress. Gip sighed to herself. "Those two..."

Luckily, though, being embarassed didn't stop Jack from continuing with the story. "Well we was conversing about _stuff _when Kloppy comes in with a letter for King. I didn't think nothing of it, but King just made me swear that I wouldn't tell no one. So--"

"Why would he make you swear not to tell no one?"

"Stress, will you please stop interrupting me? Thanks. Like I was saying, after I sweared to keep me trap shut, I did. But this morning King came up to me and we had a li'l chat. And that's why I was late to the distribution center this morning."

There was a pause and then Gip heard the two of them, in unison, say "What was you two talking about?"

"Jack, that ain't funny." Gip had to disagree; As she sat behind Jack and Stress' booth, she had to stifle her giggles.

"I thought it was, Stressie. Anyway, to make a long story short, King offered me Manhattan this morning."

"What!" Stress screeched. Gip stopped giggling for a moment and held her breath. "Please Jack, continue with the story. Why is King giving up Manhattan?" Gip whispered to herself, looking quickly towards the bathroom to make sure that King wasn't coming back to the table.

He wasn't, of course, considering the fact that he had locked himself in the bathroom until he had gathered up the nerve to tell Gip he was leaving her. "C'mon, King, stop acting like a scab and talk to your girl!" With a quick look in the cracked mirror, King unlocked the door and made to head back to his and Gip's booth.

"Shhh!" Jack admonished, lowering his voice drastically. "Stress, do you want to let all of Tibby's know?"

"Sorry Jack," she whispered back.

"Well, I'm going to tell you real quick, and mind you this is only what he told me, but it turns out that King got a letter from his sister and he's going back to Connecticut...in three days."

"What!" screeched Gip, banging her fists on her table.

"Stress, I told you to keep quiet!" Jack whispered harshly.

"That ain't me, Jack," she whispered back.

Figuring she was caught anyways, Gip stood up and walked around the booth so that she was facing Stress and Jack. "Tell me you're lying, Jack." With her dark, bold eyes flashing, Jack was afraid to tell Gip anything.

"Uh...Gip...uh," Jack's eyes darted to and fro around the restaurant until he found something to distract Gip. "Hiya King."

King, who had just exited the bathroom, looked over to where Jack had called to him. "What? Jack? Gi-- Gip?" he croaked out when he saw his girlfriend squaring off against Jack.

Gip turned around and just stared for a moment. "You...you...you...Arrggh!" she yelled before running right past him and directly out the door of the restaurant.

King looked from the slamming door to the two embarassed faces of Jack and Stress. "Uhh, guys. Is there something you'd like to tell me?" When neither one said a word, King pointed at the door. "Like why Gip just ran outta here like that?"

Jack slumped in his seat and pulled his cowboy hat over his eyes. "It's all Stress' fault!"


	11. The letter

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

--

**Queens**

Rip took one last drag on his cigarette and stubbed it out against the guest room's night table. "All right Spindle, I'm going to go take care of me business now. I want you to find Tunes, Corner, Quipster, Moneybags, Rocks and Danger and meet me down at the boys' lodging house. I'll see you there in about an hour or so."

Spindle nodded, a little miffed that Rip was being secretive again. "Sure, Rip. I'll have Rocks and Danger make sure that none of the other fellas are in the bunkroom and then I'll go get the girls. See you in an hour." She leaned in and kissed Rip.

Rip stroked her hair briefly before breaking away from Spindle. If he didn't get moving, he would miss taking care of his business.

He exited the lodging house and made a quick right, laughing to himself. As headed towards the alley where he met his informant once a week, Rip couldn't help but think of that alley as his and Jess' alley even though it had been two years since they've been in the alley together. Flooded with pleasant memories of his alley, he made his way there in no time.

Once there, he peaked his head in and smiled when he saw a short girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes, waiting nervously. "Grace, how are you today?"

Grace backed away slowly, just in case Rip was in one of his violent moods that afternoon. "Fine, Rip." she whispered, once again hating herself for meeting him in the alley. Every week she swore to herself that she would ignore him and stay at the O'Connor's, but every week, without fail, she found herself telling Rip all about Jess' life in Manhattan.

Rip stalked forward, his icy blue eyes gleaming. "So, Grace, how's me 'li'l Miss' this week?" After his last encounter with Jess, an encounter that left him beaten by King and Cowboy, Rip had refused to stray into Manhattan in case the newsies there fulfilled their threat and hurt him. But he couldn't just forget about Jess, no.

That's where Grace came into the picture. One morning, at the distribution center, Danger had overheard Grace assuring the other newsgirls that Jess was safe and sound in Manhattan. After Danger told Rip all he knew, Rip discovered that there might just be some sort of link between Queens and Manhattan. Eventually, Rip was able, through many empty threats on Jess' safety, to convince Grace to snitch on Jess' weekly letter to the O'Connor's. Since Grace still lived with the O'Connor's (and had since Jess left), she was able to read Jess' letter and then report to Rip.

And she hated herself for doing it. Grace felt that she was intruding on Jess' privacy by filling Rip in on all the details of her new life in Manhattan. But if it kept Rip satisfied and prevented him from going after Jess, she told him everything she knew. Though she did tone down some of the details of Jess' love life though; Grace didn't think that Rip would like to hear how Jess though that her friend Mush had nice muscles, Blink had a nice grin or Jack had a sexy smirk.

Grace brushed her straight hair out of her eyes and listed, "Yes, yes, no, yes, no."

Rip's grin faded from his face as his mouth dropped open. "Huh?"

Grace rolled her eyes. "I'm just answering your normal questions in order. 'Is Miss Jess good?' Yes. 'Is she still single?' Yes. 'Did she say she was coming back to Queens?' No. 'Does she sound like she misses here?' Yes. 'Did she mention you?' No. Those are your usual questions. In that order might I add."

Rip stood there, stumped for a moment. But it didn't last long. "Don't be a wise ass, Grace. I'm meeting you here today to tell you that me and Spindle and some of your little newsie friends are leaving Queens. we're heading out West and before we leave, I got something that I need you to do." Rip reached into the back pocket of his trousers and pulled out a letter. Written on the envelope, in his childish scrawl, were two words: _Miss Jess_.

Grace accepted the letter and looked at it questioningly. Yet she didn't say a word to Rip about it; Like Jess, she learned from Rip's fist that you don't question him. At all.

But Rip smiled. "It's just me goodbye letter to Jess. I want you to send it today for me. Can you do that for me, Grace?" He reached out and stroked Grace's cheek, ignoring the repulsed look that flashed across her face. He laughed and began to walk out of the alley. "Grace," he said, pausing for a moment and turning back, "I'm sorry that I can't take you with us to California, but I still need me informant here so I know what's going on with me 'li'l Miss', right?" He stared at Grace with his smug smile in place until he saw her nod. "Right, Rip."

Once he saw Grace put the letter in her pocket, Rip headed out of the alley, making his way to the boys' lodging house, whistling as he went along.


	12. Snyder

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

--

**Inside Tibby's**

Stress reached over the table and smacked Jack on the arm. "Shut up, Jack. It ain't me fault that Gip heard you opening your trap."

"Cowboy, what did Gip hear you say?" King looked from the guilty faces of Stress and Jack and groaned. "Cowboy, tell me you weren't telling Cupcake here about my sister's letter."

Stress bristled at King's nickname for her. No matter how many times she told King that her name was _not_ Cupcake, he still insisted on calling her that and only that. "King, I made him tell me."

"So, you did tell her. Damn, Jack, I told you not to tell no one." King walked over to the table and pounded it with his hand.

"I'm sorry, King, but you know how good Stress is at talking you into something." Jack shrugged his shoulders and backed into his seat, trying to avoid King's angry fist.

"It don't matter. Ya gave your word that you wouldn't talk and what good are you if I can't trust your word?"

"Hey fellas," Stress interrupted, "I don't know if you noticed or not but Gip just ran out of here all angry like. Don't you think it would be a good idea to follow her and explain to her what's going on?"

King and Jack exchanged a quick look before nodding. "I think that's a good idea, Stress," Jack began, rising from his seat, "Let's go find Gip." He lifted his water glass to his lips, drained it and wiped his mouth. "O.K., I'm ready."

As Stress got up, Jack walked ahead of King and exited Tibby's. King watched him leave and slumped his shoulders in defeat. Stress noticed the motion and put a reassuring hand on his arm. "Don't worry, King. We'll help Gip understand what's going on. I mean, that's if I ever get to understand meself. Why does Gip care so much about what's going on? I'm very confused here, King. "

King smiled faintly. "Let me tell you, Cupcake, I don't understand what's going on meself sometimes."

"How many times do I have to tell you that me name ain't Cupcake. It's Stress."

"And how many times do I have to tell you that I gave you the name Cupcake long before Cowboy gave you the name of Stress." King ruffled her hair and turned to look out the restaurant's window. "Where's Jack?"

"What do you mean 'where's Jack'? Didn't you just see him leave the restaurant?"

"I saw him leave the restaurant, but he ain't waiting for us outside right now." King pointed out the window to where there were two younger newsies selling an older gentleman a paper. Jack was not there.

Stress sighed and headed to the door. Jack wouldn't have left Stress and King alone together; whenever he did, they usually got in a class A fight. _What is he playing at?_ she wondered as she left Tibby's and approached Boots and Crutchy.

"Hey fellas, did you see Jack go by?" she asked.

"Hiya Stress, how's it going?" Crutchy asked with his usual grin, leaning on his wooden crutch for support.

"Fine, Crutchy, but I'm really interested in what happened to Jack." She flipped her long curly hair over her shoulder and waited for his answer.

"Gosh, I haven't seen Jack since the water basin this morning." Crutchy removed his hat and scratched his head in confusion.

As Stress sighed and began to look around nervously, she heard Boots begin to hem and haw.

"Boots, did you see Jack?"

Boots hesitated for a moment before answering. "Gee, Stress, I didn't see Jack but I did see a paddy wagon."

When Stress hit her palm against her head, Crutchy looked at the two of them in surprise. "What's the deal with the paddy wagon?"

Before Stress could answer Crutchy, she had one question for Boots. "Ya didn't see the Refuge warden did you?"

Boots nodded solemnly. "Yeah. Warden Snyder was sitting with the police officer that was driving the horses."

"Shoot!" she hissed, turning from Boots and Crutchy and running up to where King was waiting for her to go to look for Gip. "King, something awful's happened!"

"Calm down, Cupcake. What could be more awful then Gip getting upset and running outta Tibby's?" King questioned.

"King, I think Snyder's got Jack again!"


	13. Smart move Danger

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

--

**Queens**

Rip continued to whistle under his breath as he entered the bunkroom of the Newsboys' Lodging House.

"Hey there, Rip. So nice of you to join us," called Danger from his bunk. He shut his mouth at once when he saw Spindle's eyes flash with anger. "I mean, hi."

Spindle gave him one last look before rushing to Rip's side. "Rip, I got all of them that you told me to get." Spindle turned to gesture to the six girls who sat on the same bunk. "Tunes, Corner, Quipster and Moneybags. And I also asked Iris and Dice to come to hear you talk. I think the more we got the better, eh?"

Rip nodded absentmindedly as he went to greet the only two boys that were in the bunkroom. "Danger, Rocks. How are you?"

Rocks grunted in reply. Rocks got his name because he used to walk around boasting that his head was harder than a rock. Unfortunately Rip took him up on that, and bet him a whole dollar that he couldn't break a rock over his head. Needless to say Rip won that bet. And even though it had been at least six months, Rocks still had yet to say one word. The rumors going around the lodging house were that when he cracked that rock over his head, he yelled so loud that his voice had just been spent.

Danger, who had the ability to speak though he usually spoke at the most inopportune of times, stood from his perch and leaned in to whisper to Rip. "Uh, Rip? What's all this about? I only got to sell half of me papes before Spindle ran into me and told me I had to get here and quick. What's going on?"

"Hold your horses, Danger. I'll get to it all in good time." Rip flashed him his trademark smile and pointed him to a bunk. "Take a seat, kid."

Danger, barely a year younger than Rip, began to mumble as he walked to the bunk.

"Is everyone comfortable?" Rip asked and waited until he saw them all nod. "Good. Now, I don't know how much Spindle told you, but we're going on a little trip--"

"What?" cried Quipster as she jumped off of the bunk. "What do you mean, we're going on a trip?"

"Spindle." Rip said, pointing at Quipster.

Spindle nodded. "Quipster, you better sit down before I have to take out me friend here." she hissed in Quipster's face as she gestured to her pocket.

Everyone knew what Spindle kept in her front shirt pocket.

Quipster began to fume, but she fumed silently as she sat back down on the bunk.

"Thanks, Spindle." Rip said as he blew a quick kiss in Spindle's direction. "Like I was saying, we're going on a trip. I dunno if you noticed some of the articles in the papes about California, but there seems to be a world of opportunity out there for young hard-working people like us."

Tunes raised her hand tentatively. "I hate to say this, but I ain't got no money to be going out to California."

Rip's smile widened. "That's the beauty of me plan. Me and Spindle saved enough money for us all to get out West as long as we sneak onto a train to get out there. If you decide to come with us, we'll take care of your food and whatnot for the ride out there. And once we're there we can get a job. I read in the papes the other day that even if there ain't no more gold out there dey got oil and other riches. What do you think?"

Surprisingly, seven of the eight invited guests nodded and began to talk excitedly amongst themselves. Spindle laughed to herself as she threw herself into Rip's arms when she saw that everyone liked the idea of going out West. "I think our plan is going to work, Rip!" she whispered into his ear.

But Rip was staring at the one person who wasn't thrilled about his idea. "Danger, what do you think?"

"I ain't going Rip. I like Queens just fine." Danger stood up and began to head towards the door.

Rip broke away from Spindle's embrace and blocked the exit. "Danger, maybe I should tell you this now. Ya don't got a choice in the matter. You're coming out West with the rest of us."

"No, I don't think so. Now, please step aside so I can go back to selling me papes." Danger stood in front of Rip, waiting for him to move.

But Rip didn't move. Instead he waved to Spindle over Danger's shoulder. "Spindle, I think our friend here needs some more persuasion. Understand?"

Spindle grinned evilly as she reached into her shirt pocket. "Loud and clear, Rip." Then, before anyone could react, Spindle flicked her pocketknife open, crossed the bunkroom in three strides and plunged the knife deep into Danger's left arm.

"Jesus Christ, what the heck are you doing?" Danger yelled in pain as he gripped his injured arm and sank to the floor.

Spindle just laughed at his pain and yanked her knife out of his arm. "Ya should have said 'yes', Danger."

Stepping over Danger, Rip addressed the others. "So, the rest of you are going, right?"

His icy blue eyes gleamed when he heard six female voices chorus "Yes!" and one male grunt. "Good. Now, there's a cargo train leaving the yards tomorrow morning so I think we should just grab our stuff and start heading down. Next stop, California!"

Tunes, Moneybags, Quipster, Iris, Dice and Corner clung together as they walked over Danger and headed to the girls' lodging house to pack. Spindle gave Rip one last kiss before following the other girls. She had to make sure that none of them ran off instead of going with her and Rip.

Meanwhile, as Rocks headed over to the nightstand where he kept his belongings, Rip squatted down and stared at Danger, an ugly sneer disfiguring his handsome face. "Ya should have known better, Danger. Never cross Rip. Ya just learned that one today. And soon, soon, Jess'll be learning the same lesson."

Danger continued to hold tight to his wounded arm. "I should have known that this had something to do with Jess," he gasped, trying to ignore the throbbing pain.

"Doesn't it always, Danger?"

"You're sick, you know that, Rip? Right?" Danger muttered.

"I may be sick, Danger, but I ain't the one with a hole in me arm, am I?" he hissed as he drew himself back to his full height and turned to watch Rocks pack. "Rocks, hurry up. Whenever you're done, meet me over at the girls' lodging house. And don't mind Danger here. I'm sure one of the other fellas'll return and take care of him sooner or later. And then he'll join us." Rip shot Danger a smug look and left the bunkroom.

Rocks grunted again and picked up his bag. With an apologetic shrug towards Danger, he followed Rip out of the bunkroom.

"I'm sorry, Jess. If only I had never told Rip you were still alive in the first place." Danger looked down briefly at his wound and noticed how much blood he was losing. All at once his mind began to spin. Just as he shut his eyes and gave into the unconsiousness that was threatening to overtake him, he pictured the thirteen-year-old face of Jess. The more he thought about it, the more the idea of Rip taking revenge on the poor girl made him feel incredibly nauseous and extremely guilty. "It's all my fault. If only I never overheard your pals those two years ago, you might still be safe over in Manhattan."


	14. Snyder

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

--

**Just Outside Tibby's**

"Cupcake, what do you mean that Snyder's got Cowboy again?"

Stress stomped her foot in annoyance, startling both Boots and Crutchy who were still standing there. "We know that Jack left Tibby's a few minutes before we did, and look - he's gone now. And Boots here said that he saw a paddy wagon with Warden Snyder driving the horses. Y'know how long Jack has been hiding from Snyder, ever since the first time he snuck outta the Refuge when he was twelve."

King nodded. "I know. I was the one that found him hiding in that corner the first time he ever escaped. Snyder's been kicking himself ever since cause Jack was able to just walk outta the Refuge. I know that he was looking for him for awhile but I never thought he'd find him over here."

"It looks like he did, King. I think we better go to the Refuge and save Jack." And, without even waiting for King's answer, Stress ran from outside of Tibby's, heading straight towards the Refuge.

"Crutchy, Boots. I'll see you'se two over at the lodging house later. Right now I gotta make sure that the Cupcake don't do nothing crazy."

"See you, King." Crutchy answered as Boots nodded. King waved to them and took off to follow Stress through the crowded streets of New York. "'Excuse me sir, excuse me, outta the way, pardon me... Cupcake, wait for me!"

But Stress didn't slow her pace until she crossed the city and found herself staring at the gates of the Refuge. She paused for a second staring inside the gates, giving King the chance to rush up beside her, panting heavily. "What a run," he exclaimed.

Stress ignored his comment. "Do you think he's inside?"

"I dunno, Cupcake. But just so we don't get caught, let's wait over in this side alley until it gets dark, k?" King grabbed her gently by the elbow and steered her over the the small alley to the left of the gates. Surprisingly she gave no resistance and leaned against the wall of the alley.

King followed her in and sat down, able to think over the day's events so far. Not only did he have Jack's capture to worry about but he still had to explain everything to Gip. In the excitement of dodging through the crowds of New York to find Jack, he had plum forgot all about Suzette's letter and Gypsy's dash out of Tibby's. Thinking of his girlfriend, and the kind of greeting he would receive when he saw he after he and Stress would rescue Jack, he murmured her name aloud. "Gip..."

Stress, who had been doing some thinking of her own, looked up when she heard him speak out loud. "Did you say something, King?"

"No..."

"I reckon I heard you say the name of Gip over there."

"No..." King said again, this time a crimson blush staining his cheeks.

"Oh, yes you did. I caught you!" Stress smiled in his direction as she playfully wagged her finger in his face.

King waved Stress' finger out of his face. "So what, you caught me."

Stress opened her mouth to retort but paused and cocked her head to the side. She then took a step outside of the alley and looked around for a moment before returning. "I thought I heard a wagon coming by."

King nodded and ducked his head into his arms, obviously thinking that Stress was going to drop what they had been discussing.

He was wrong.

Stress reached up and tapped King on his shoulder. When he lifted his head from his arms, she winked. "So, you want to tell me about Gip? I mean, we have a li'l bit of time 'til we can get Jack outta the Refuge so I'm all ears if you want to chat."

King sighed. _What harm could it do? I leave in three days, anway._ "Well, I guess I should tell someone since I'm going to need someone to hold Gip back when I see her later on. She's probably so angry at me right now."

"What did you do to her, King?"

"Nothing really, it's just that I've been too afraid to tell her that I'm leaving New York in three days. I knew it would get her all upset and angry, so I just 'forgot' to tell her these past few days."

"So, it is true that you'se leaving then? But why would she get so angry?"

"Y'see, me and Gip, we're kinda a couple."

"What!" Stress shrieked, a large grin coming to her face. "For how long, King?"

"About six months or so now."

"And you didn't tell no one? But it really does explain a lot. No wonder Gip got so angry and ran outta Tibby's today. But why are you leaving?"

"I got a letter from me sister, Suzette. She told me that me mother over in Connecticut is dying and they need me home. I figure that I can go home and maybe get a real job. I mean, I can't be a newsie forever, eh? And then once I get a lot of money, I'm going to come back here and get Gip to marry me. But I doubt Gip is going to ever talk to me again, let alone ever want to marry me, now. Ya saw the way she reacted when she overheard you and Cowboy talking about me leaving in Tibby's earlier today." King groaned out loud and laid his head down again. "And now I'm letting her run around the city by herself. God, I'm such an idiot!"

Stress patted him arm as she tried to whisper soothingly to him. "I'm sorry, King. I can't believe I never noticed what was going on between you and Gip. Six months, damn. And you say that your an idiot. Look at me!"

"that's O.K., Cupcake. She made me swear never to tell no one. I ju--" King's sentence was cut off suddenly when Stress peeked her head outside of the alley again, just in time to see a paddy wagon entering the gates of the Refuge. "King, I think our pal just arrived," she observed quietly before sneaking out of the alley to see if she could see who was inside the wagon.

Making sure that they weren't seen, King and Stress watched as the warden and another police officer exited the front of the carriage and walked to the back to let out the newest residents of the Refuge. Once the police officer opened the back of the wagon, five young orphans exited -- four girls and one boy. The police officer began to herd them inside but as Jack passed, Snyder grabbed him by the ends of his red bandana. "So, Francis Sullivan. We meet again. How's my favorite orphan?"

Jack jerked away from Snyder. "Lay off of me, Snyder."

Snyder ignored his comment and sneered. "Oh, that's right. You need both of your parents dead before you are a real orphan. I guess you don't count since your father is still alive even if he is in the penitentiary for the crime of killing your dear _whore_ of a mother."

Jack recoiled and moved forward quickly as if he was going to strike the warden, but the police officer that had been lurking around, waiting to lead Jack inside, rushed forward and pulled him away. "Watch it, boy. You need to treat the warden with some respect."

Warden Snyder laughed. "That's alright, Officer. Just throw him in the solitary cell that's two doors down from my office. I think young Francis here needs some alone time to cool off."

Jack shot Snyder a hateful look before being led inside the Refuge. _I'll be here two days, tops, before I found a way outta this hell-hole, _he promised himself.

Meanwhile, Stress and King just stared at each other after watching Snyder's and Jack's exchange. "King?" Stress whispered without any emotion as she took a step forward and leaned against the gates of the Refuge.

"Yeah, Cupcake?"

"Did you know?"

"No, Cupcake. Did you know?"

"No, King."

"What are we going to do?"

Stress shook her head and set her face into a straight line. "Once it gets dark, I'm going to go in there and I'm going to get Cowboy outta there. Then I'm going to find out _exactly_ what Snyder was flapping his gums about." She walked back into the alley that she and King had been talking in before and plopped herself down.

King stared at her for a moment, glad that he wasn't Cowboy. He, too, knew she was mad when she referred to him using his nickname. She was one of the only people who used his real name instead of his newsies nickname . "But, then again, Jack ain't his real name, now, is it?" King muttered before sitting down next to Stress. "Jeez, first Gip, now this. In a way, I'm kinda glad that I'm leaving in three days."


	15. The Break Out

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

--

**Inside the Refuge**

Night had fallen across Manhattan and Jack was no closer to figuring out how he was going to escape from the Refuge. Last time it had been easy - wait until Snyder was all tight and cozy in his office eating supper and make a break for it. But this time Snyder was smart. He knew that if given the opportunity, Jack would be out of there quicker than he could say "Sullivan." So, instead of sticking him in the bunkroom with the rest of the orphans in the Refuge, Snyder put him in a solitary cell -- locked, of course -- two doors from his office where he could make sure that Jack would stay put. As Jack stared at the door and tried to think of a way to escape, he began to speak aloud to himself. "I wonder if King and Stress noticed that I was gone yet?"

Meanwhile, Stress and King, who did know that he was gone and were trying their damndest to rescue him, were in the girls' holding room, two doors from Snyder's office on the _other_ side of the hall. "So, let me get this straight," Stress asked, facing the four girls -- Illusion, Briar, Gambler and Raider -- who had been in the same paddy wagon as Jack, "Snyder brought all five of you in, stuck you girls in here for now and gave Jack his own room, two doors past Snyder's office on the other side. That's why when me and my pal, King, snuck into the Refuge just now, we met you four and not Cowboy?"

Raider took the brown cowboy hat she was wearing off her head for a moment. "Yup, that sounds about right, missy. That mean old varmint got us girls for just hanging around outside. What was that fancy word he used?"

"Snyder said we was 'loitering', what ever that means," replied Briar.

"Anyways, he threw us in here and put your friend in a cell all by himself. Are you'se guys really going to go break him out?" asked Illusion.

"Betcha five to one they get caught," added Gambler.

Stress looked at Gambler for a second and grinned as she twirled the hairpin that she had used to unlock the holding room's door. "Ya mean, _we_, cause I got a plan," she smirked as she motioned for the four other girls and a forlorn King to lean in to hear Stress' brilliant plan.

- - -

"So, after you two get Snyder over here, slam the door and we're all home free," Stress finished her plan and grinned cheesily when all but one of the listeners nodded their agreement.

"I dunno..." hesitated King, thinking that he'd be screwed forever if her plan failed and he got himself a six month sentence in the Refuge for helping five prisoners to escape.

Stress turned her eyes on King and stared. "This is me best friend we're talking about. I ain't leaving him here in the Refuge. Understand, King?"

King stared down at the girl in amazement. _This_ was his Cupcake, the girl he found sitting on that side of the road two years ago? My, my, how people change. "You're the boss, Cupcake."

"Good," Stress nodded her head once before turning back to look at the other girls, "Raider, Briar? Are you two ready? Ya know when to give me the signal, right?"

Raider and Briar looked at each other nervously and grinned. "I think so," Raider answered as Briar crossed her fingers behind her back; she really didn't feel like getting caught.

"All right then, let's go." Stress held the door open for the two girls and gave them a thumbs-up before closing the door - leaving it open enough for Stress to watch for their signal.

Briar tittered nervously as Raider took a deep breath before the two of them walked over to the door of Snyder's office and prepared to knock. With her hand poised in a knocking position, Raider whispered to Briar, "Why are we doing this again, Briar?"

Briar sneaked a look back at the room where she had been sitting for that entire day. "Because those two are going to help us sneak outta the Refuge, that's why."

"Oh, yeah. I remember now." Raider took one more breath and knocked on the door. "Warden Snyder?"

Snyder, who had been eating a nice supper of corn beef and cabbage, arose from his seat and answered the door. "I wonder who it could be," he asked out loud, fully aware that all the rooms of the Refuge were locked and no one would be able to be walking around. He gasped in surprise as he opened his door, before his shocked expression turned into a sneer. Standing outside of his office door were two of the street rats that he and Mulvaney had brought in that afternoon. "What are you two doing out of your holding room? I told you I would give you all bunks after my supper."

Raider was about to respond when Briar just grabbed her by the arm and entered the office, making sure she shut the door behind her. "Oh, Warden Snyder, we got so scared in that room that when we tried to open the door, and it turned, me and Raider decided to come talk to you."

Snyder raised an eyebrow, ignoring the fact that Briar had closed his office door behind him. "Why were you girls scared?"

Meanwhile, Stress peeked her head out of the holding room in time to see Briar's hand shut the office door behind her. "O.K., guys. Briar just gave us the signal, let's go." Pausing briefly to make sure that no one else was walking around that would witness their ploy, Stress led King, Illusion and Gambler towards the room where they knew Jack was staying. King handed Stress her hairpin once more when they arrived in front of his room and she quickly was able to unlock the door. "Cowboy?"

Jack was sitting on the floor, his head in his hands, as he debated which escape plan would be the most sensible. Though he had ignored the faint metal clicking outside of his door, he couldn't ignore it when he heard a familiar voice call out his nickname. "Stress?"

Stress rushed forward, leaving King, Illusion and Gambler to stand at the door, and gave Jack a quick hug. "Of course it's me. Ya didn't think that I'd leave you here to rot, did you? I mean, even if you're a liar, I couldn't leave you here."

"What do you mean, 'a liar'?" Jack asked, thrown off guard by her words.

King looked at the scowl on Stress' face and he knew that she had been longing to ask Jack about what they had overheard Snyder and Jack talking about outside the Refuge. "Uh- guys? We ain't home free yet," he pointed out as he motioned to Gambler and Illusion to step inside so that he could close the door behind him.

"King's right. But don't worry, Cowboy. We'll have a nice chat once we all make it outta here," Stress announced as she crossed her arms over her chest and headed towards the door to wait for Briar and Raider's knock.

Jack just nodded and looked at King with questioning eyes. "What did I do now?" they seemed to ask. King just shrugged. "I just hope that Briar and Raider are following their side of the plan," he murmured to himself, trying to figure out, once again, what he was doing in a cell in the Refuge when he should be out looking for Gip.

And, back in Snyder's office, Briar and Raider were just about completing their part of the plan. "So, you see Warden Snyder, me and Raider got real afraid of that spider in our room and we thought you would be so kind as to kill it," Briar explained.

Snyder nodded and smiled his "creepy adult" smile. It was about time he did _something_ that constituted as "work". "O.K., children, I will kill the spider. Just show me the way."

Raider nodded, and crossing her fingers that the others were already safely in Jack's cell awaiting their second signal, opened the door. She breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed that the hall was clear. "It's right this way, sir." Raider opened the door to the holding room and pointed towards the far right corner of the room. "That's where the spider was."

Snyder stepped forward into the holding room, checking out the right corner before turning his eyes upon the rest of the room. "Sure thing, chil-- Wait a second. Wasn't there two more of you in here?" Snyder felt a flash of anger that was only intensified when he heard the distinctive _click_ of a door locking. When he had entered the holding room, Briar and Raider had locked him in. "Let me out!" he began to cry, banging on the door, "Let me out or else you will spend the rest of your miserable little lives in here!"

"'_Let me out or else you will spend the rest of your miserable little lives in here.'_ I don't think so, buddy," laughed Raider as she, and Briar, ran four doors down and banged on the room they knew held the others. "Hey Lulu, Gamby? Stress? King? All clear!"

Gambler opened the door, annoyed at the awkward tension that filled the air. "Let's go, girls." She, Illusion, Briar and Raider hurried their goodbye's, congratulating Stress on the success of her plan, before quickly leaving the back door of the Refuge.

After watching the four go, King looked from Stress to Jack, and back to Stress. "Well, um, now that we saved the Cowboy, Cupcake, I'm going to go find Gip."

Stress nodded and King left. Ignoring the fact that the two of them were still standing in a cell of the Refuge, Jack walked over to Stress, who was still standing next to the door, and threw out his hands. "O.K., Stressie. What did I do?"

Stress rolled her eyes and scoffed. "First, Francis, I think we should take this outside." With that parting remark, Stress flounced outside the cell and darted outside of the prison.

Jack paused for a moment, the one word echoing in his ear: _Francis...Francis...Francis._ _How did she know?_ "Stressie, wait for me!" he called before following her out of the Refuge and chasing after her. With her headstart, Jack was barely able to find her in the evening crowd. But that was all right, he knew where she would be going.


	16. My Business

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

--

**Queens**

Rip whistled jovially as he made his way to the girls' lodging house. Finally it was time to get going. But first—

"Hey, Grace!" he called as he watched the familiar petite blonde figure trod slowly down the street, as if she carried the weight of three hundred papers on her back.

"Oh, Rip. It's you. Ya haven't left yet?" Grace slowed her pace and stayed on the side of the street she was on, content in just speaking to him over the crowd.

Rip, on the other hand, liked to speak to a person face to face. With a devilish grin on his face, Rip strutted across the street and approached Grace. "No, we're going to leave the lodging house in about a quarter of an hour or so. But before we all leave, I just wanted to make sure that you took care of me business."

Grace averted her eyes and didn't answer.

Rip lifted his hand and cupped her face, jerking it upwards so that she was staring him in the eye. "Answer me, Grace. Ya know I don't like to be kept waiting," he hissed, spraying his spittle all over her face.

She resisted the urge to wipe the saliva from her nose, knowing that if she did she would offend him. "I did, all right. I sent the letter with the one Mrs. O'Connor wrote this morning. She sent Jess a care package with one of the trolley workers that Mr. O'Connor knows so she'll get the letter tonight at the earliest. Are you happy now?"

Rip thrust his hand downwards and let out a cruel laugh when the force nearly brought Grace to her knees. "Yes, Grace. I'm very happy. Now, if you don't mind me, I got a train to catch."

Grace watched as he lifted his head high into the air and stalked off towards the Queens' girls' lodging house, a new found spring in his step. "Goodbye Rip and good riddance," she spat, praying with every ember of her body that the train overturned and there was only 1 fatality; scum like him did **not** deserve to live. "Have fun in California, Rip," she whispered to the air, "and never come back!" _California_. Grace just couldn't believe that Rip and Spindle were both **so** set on getting revenge that they were heading out West, bringing with them a few of the best newsies in Queens, just so they could make money out there in order to set up some sort of elaborate plan to make Jess' life miserable. "Thank God that I'm staying behind. It ain't safe to be traveling with two of the biggest crazies, ever." She sat down by the side of the road, thinking of her friends. "Good luck."


	17. Secrets Behind the Lies

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

--

**The Secret Spot**

The secret spot. The spot was such a secret that only the two of them - Stress & Jack - knew about it and frequently used it. A secluded nook just behind a long alleyway, it was there that the two of them had met two years ago. Upon arriving in Manhattan, Stress had received a fright after meeting King for the first time and took off in a run, finding her way to a spot she thought she could hide out. To her surprise, though, she found Jack back there practicing his rope tricks.

Now, after being the best of friends for the past two years, the two of them would use their "secret spot" to talk or just think about stuff.

And, whenever the City seemed to be too much for her and she yearned for the peace and security of her homeland, Stress always ran to the same place to be alone. Tucked away, hidden by random back alleys all leading in criss-crossing directions, was the tiny nook where, if one tried hard enough, it was possible to imagine that the City was far behind them. This nook, this secret spot, was her sanctuary -- and if there was anytime that she needed a sanctuary, it was now.

"Make a right down that street, jump over the barrel, duck behind this corner, and I'm here," she murmured to herself as she plopped down against the brick of the abandoned building. Then, taking a deep breath and willing herself not to cry out in frustration or hurt, Stress began to run through the day's occurrences in her mind.

She had just gotten to the part where she and King had set up that diversion and slipped inside the Refuge when she heard the sound of heavy feet approaching. Inwardly, she groaned. There was only one other person who knew about the city's secluded sanction.

"Hey there, Stressie."

Stress looked up, her scowl deep in enough to set lines into her face. "So nice of you to join me, Francis."

This time Jack caught the reference to his name and he paled. "Francis?" he whispered, averting her eyes.

"Yeah, Francis. I know."

Pushing a pile of dirt around with his shoe, Jack asked, "How didja find out?"

"I have ears, y'know. Me and King went down to the Refuge to rescue you and we heard you talking to Snyder."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh. Do you want to tell me what this is all about?"

Jack said nothing.

"I thought that we had no secrets beween us, Jack. And now this? Why did you lie?"

"There's always a secret behind a lie, Stress," Jack whispered as he stood in front of her, leaning his back against the wall of the alley.

"And what's your secret, Jack? That you ain't who I thought you was? 'Cause I can tell that for meself…" Stress hissed as she turned her head and stared into the darkness.

"What that's supposed to mean?"

"Simple. Ya let me believe for the past two years that you was 'Jack Kelly', an abandoned orphan. But you ain't. You're just Francis Sullivan, a boy with a dead mother and a crook for a pa."

That one hit Jack. He bent down and roughly grabbed her arm. "Ya don't know what you're talking about, Stress. And, for another thing, what about your secrets and your lies?"

Stress jerked her arm out of his grip, frightened yet angered by his rough gesture. "I ain't got no secrets, Jack. I'm the honest one in this friendship."

He snorted. "What about your pal from Queens? Remember him?"

She stared up at him in disbelief. "Rip? Are you talking about him?"

"Whatever his name was."

"What does he have to do with anything? And, besides, I thought we all agreed never to mention him again."

"Well, let me tell you, Miss Perfect, you lied about him. It took you all that time to tell me and the others about what happened between you two in Queens."

"Are you crazy? I told you after a week. It's been two years, Jack. Two years!"

"It ain't no different," Jack insisted, desperate to prove he wasn't the only one in the wrong.

"Of course it is. I didn't lie at all."

"Well, I didn't, either. You ever asked me what happened to my folks, did you?"

Stress stood up, crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. "'_My name is Jack Kelly'_. Isn't that what you told me when we first met?"

"You changed your name, too, Stress -- Jess, because of your lies."

"I told you, Francis. I didn't lie at all. I was just - um - improving the truth about the reason why I moved to Manhattan."

A nasty grin came to Jack's face now that he had an opening to show her how wrong she is. "Call it what you will, but you still didn't introduce yourself as who you really were -- you lied to us all. And what did your lie get you?"

As the color drained from her face, Stress lowered her voice to a whisper. "Please, Jack, no."

But he couldn't stop now, not when he could prove that he was as much a victim to her lies as he she was to his. "It got you flat on your back in a dirty alley, that's what."

Stress took a step back before hissing, "I kept my past hidden from you all because it was hard for me to accept what happened with Rip. And, besides, I was trying to protect my new friends."

Jack sneered, marring his normally good looks. "You did a great job protecting Gip that time Rip came around," he said, referring to the only time Rip came to Manhattan which resulted in both Stress and Gip being knocked unconscious. Stress opened her mouth to reply but Jack, seething with anger, cut her off. "And you had a hard time accepting what happened with your pal from Queens? Well, I can help you out there. Rip actually told me this himself and I defended you. I guess I was wrong -- you were his dirty whore."

Feeling that their argument was still brewing, Jack waited for some fiery retort before he would eventually cool down, give in and apologize. After all, that's how all of their arguments have gone before -- but, then again, none of their arguments had ever mentioned Rip or his parents before.

Therefore, Jack was surprised and horrified when, instead of retorting, Stress recoiled as if she had been slapped. Instantly he regretted his words. "Oh my God, Stressie. I didn't mean that at all. It just came out in the heat of the argument. You know I didn't mean it."

Instead of replying, Stress stared at Jack, horror-struck, before making to leave the alley. As she slipped past him, Jack reached out and grabbed her arm, tightly. "Stress, wait-"

"Don't ever, and I mean never, grab me like that, Cowboy! I let it slide just before, but I ain't going to ever let no one rough me up again," she hissed, backing away suddenly. For the first time in two years, since she had run away from Spindle and Rip in Queens, and had met up with Jack, King and all her friends now, Stress was on the defensive. She hadn't known Jack at all; what if he had the ability to hurt her the way that Rip did? She couldn't - and wouldn't - let that happen.

He dropped her arm in surprise, and, for a moment, looked hurt as he noticed the stand-offish expression on her face.

But it was only for a moment. Jack turned his head slightly so he wasn't looking at her. "Well, why don't you go run off and find yourself a new friend, then. God only knows how lonely you get at night without him."

If the remark about Rip wasn't hard enough for Stress to take, Jack's last comment broke her strong facade. _Maybe Jack is just as cruel as Rip_, Stress thought to herself, tears springing to her eyes. As she remained standing next to Jack, frozen in place as tears slid down her cheeks, Jack turned his head back to face her, prepared for the vicious retort that just had to come his way.

Again, though, Stress surprised him with her lack of biting remarks. Instead of saying anything back to him, she simply faced him and, for the first time in almost two years, let him see her cry.

Jack paused for a moment as he felt his heart break inside. Did he really let their argument go that far? After all the years of keeping his own past hidden from anyone, maybe he was having a hard time accepting his past just like she had done. But, when Stress was going through her hard time when they first met two years ago, she didn't take her frustration out on him; on the contrary, she had turned to him for support. Why couldn't he just ask her for her support instead of dragging up her past? He didn't know the anwer -- but he knew he had made a huge mistake in letting his own emotions push their argument so far. Slowly Jack rested his hand on her arm. "Stress, I --"

But upon his contact, Stress flinched and brought her arm back. Then, before Jack could finish his sentence, she brought her fist forward and punched him right across his left eye.


	18. Sometimes We Can Work It Out

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

--

**Manhattan**

As Jack fell to the dirt, clutching his cheek in unexpected pain, Stress dashed beside him and began to run. Dodging all of the people out on the streets and ignoring their cries as she ran into a few, she didn't stop her frantic pace until she was a block or so away from the Horace Greeley statue just off Duane Street. For, sitting right at old Horace's feet, was Gip, looking as if she didn't have a friend in the world. As she looked on Gip's forlorn figure, the memory of the morning's events came rushing back to Stress. _Gip and King are in love. King is leaving Manhattan to go to Connecticut. Gip is being left behind._ Pushing aside her own hurt feelings of betrayal, Stress approached Gip in order to attempt to comfort her.

But when Gip saw Stress walking towards her, she jumped of the base of the statue and began to walk quickly away in the direction of the Bottle Alley Lodging House.

Stress sighed and broke into a run to catch up. "Gip, wait. I really need to talk to you."

Gip whirled around, her long braids flying. "Why, Stress? So you ask me about King and my reaction back at Tibby's? Well, too bad. I ain't talking."

Stress found herself marveling at Gip's slight Kentucky lilt before shaking her head. "I know all about you two. King told me all about you while we were trying to figure out how we were going to break Jack out of the Refuge."

"He told you? About us? I -- wait. Did you say break Jack out of the Refuge?"

Stress glumly nodded. "That's exactly what I said."

Gip, who had known Jack even longer than Stress, laughed out loud despite her somber mood. "Snyder finally managed to catch him again?"

Stress nodded again, this time a forced smile coming to her face. "Quite funny, actually. Snatched him up right outside of Tibby's after you ran out and we was going after ya."

Gip's laugh turned into a scowl as she crossed her arms over her chest and began to stalk off again.

Stress quickened her pace to match Gip's stride. "I'm sorry about how you found out about him leaving and all, but maybe if you let King explain..."

"Explain what?" Gip exploded, wheeling on Stress, her brown eyes flashing. "Explain why he's up and decided to leave? What, has he got some better offer?"

"It ain't like that, Gip. Listen to me, alright? King loves you -- but, it's his ma, ya see. She's sick. He needs to go home. Are you really going to deny him that? I mean, leaving you is hard enough as it is. Are you gonna make it harder?"

Gip paused, the angry blush that had filled her face silently draining away. Then, as her memories were filled of her own family -- the family that she herself had been accused of murdering when, in fact, it had been her deranged father who pulled the trigger back in Kentucky -- Gip just walked quietly on. And Stress, not knowing how deep her words struck at Gip's heart, added one more remark before joining Gip on the silent trek back to Bottle Alley: "You don't know how lucky you are to have someone who truly cares about you."

**Back to Bottle Alley**

It was a depressing mood as Stress and Gip approached the Bottle Alley Lodging House just a mere 2 hours shy of their ten o'clock curfew. For the first time in countless blocks, Gip opened her mouth to reply to Stress' last remark. But the words never left her mouth as the two girls saw a tall figure step out from in front of the lodging house.

"Gypsy! There you are! I've been wondering around the city looking for you for hours. Where the hell have you been?" King ran forward and, pulling her by the arms that hung by her side, enveloped her in a tight embrace.

Gip allowed herself to be swallowed up by King. Before resting her head on top of King's broad shoulder, Gip looked over his shoulder and sadly smiled at Stress. "Thank you," she mouthed and let her head drop.

Stress, feelng a little resentful that Gip and King would be able to work out their problems while she still felt so hurt, walked past them and entered the lodging house.

"Back so soon, Stress?" Mrs. Cook questioned while keeping her eyes down, reviewing the ledger.

Stress nodded. But, when she realized that Mrs. Cook couldnt hear a nod, she reluctantly responded. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good. And do me a favor, dear? Please tell me that you brought Gypsy back here with you. If I have to stand that blonde gentleman interrogating me about her whereabouts once more I'm going to drag him away myself."

Stress laughed despite herself at the mental image of grey-haired Mrs. Cook trying to drag King away. "Yes, Mrs. Cook, Gip's back here too."

Mrs. Cook nodded, her glasses slipping down her nose. "Well that makes you two the first back tonight. I'll collect the night's fare at curfew. You still have two hours left, you are aware?"

"Yeah, I know. I'm just tired, is all."

"Very well, dear. But, before you go, that friendly trolley man you know -- Mr. McKean he said his name was? Friendly gentleman -- he dropped off a package from your friends and family back in Queens. I left it on your bunk."

"Thanks, Mrs. Cook. You're the best," Stress exclaimed, feeling a happier than she had since her lunch earlier that afternoon, as she bolted up the steps to open her package. The letters from the O'Connor's and her old pal, Grace, always made her feel better.

When she reached her bunk -- the first top bunk on the right -- she quickly reached for her package. It was a simple brown package, like always, except for one thing: a piece of paper slipped under the rugged twine keeping the package wrapped. Stress stared at the package for a momemt, puzzled. The O'Connor's always included any notes to her inside of the package so that no one could pry into their business, she knew, as did Grace. But, nonetheless, there was a slip of paper still there. Shrugging her shoulders, Stress pulled out the sheaf of paper and glanced down at the name scrawled on the front: _Miss Jess_.

With a cold feeling of dread growing in the pit of her stomach, Stress slowly opened the letter, though she **knew** she knew who it was from. And she was right.

" _My Li'l Miss,_

_It's been two long years since I've felt your touch against mine; two long years since our hearts beated together as one. Two long years since I've seen your pretty face -- no, I see you all the time. I am always there, I am always watching. And I will always be there, inside of you. _Always.

_Forever Mine, _

_Rip _"

The intensity of the words coupled with her own self-loathing that Jack had triggered with his harsh and cruel words was too much for her to bear.

Unwillingly and unconsciously Stress slipped into the fearful memories of Rip and the times she had spent with him. The pain, the hurt, the violation. As she watched in her mind's eye the last time she had seen him, when he had been in Manhattan and found her among her new friends, she cried out loud in sheer emotional torture, "No!", before giving in and passing out.


	19. Apologies and Confusion

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

--

**Bottle Alley Lodging House**

As soon as Stress had entered the lodging house, leaving the two of them alone, King led Gip to the nearby corner and told her his tale. "So you see, my Gip, I won't be gone long at all. But, as much as I don't want to leave, I have to go. You do understand, love, don't you?"

Gip nodded, afraid her emotions would give her away if she spoke.

King's face broke out into a relieved grin as he squeezed her hand. "No more than a few months to get everything straight," he promised, trying to make the situation sound not as bad as it was, "and I'll write often and visit if I can and what the hell happened to your eye?"

The last remark was not directed toward Gip but to Jack instead as he glumly walked down the street, hands in his pockets.

Jack just shook his head but Gip, trying to find anything to distract her from her sorrows, laughed at Jack's state. "That Stress has a mean right hook, eh, Cowboy?"

"Don't I know it," Jack said, wincing, as King's eyes widened in surprise.

"Cupcake gave you that shiner, Cowboy?"

"Yeah and don't tell me that I deserved it, King." Since King looked like that was exactly what he thought Jack turned to face Gip. "You don't happen to know if Stress is in the lodging house, do ya?"

"Actually, yeah. She went inside over a half an hour ago. She seemed really ticked off about something and now that I see your shiner, I know who it was who got her mad. Are you sure you should be looking for her so soon?"

"Well, I need to talk to her. I think I might have said something -- er, a few things -- to offend her and I need to say sorry."

Gip rolled her eyes. "Alright, Cowboy, I'll go in there with you. I know Mrs. Cook wouldn't want a boy up in the bunks with no chaperone."

King snickered, "And I'll come along to make sure Cupcake don't give you a shiner to match that beaut."

Instead of replying to King's remark Jack shrugged and shuffled his way inside the lodging house while Gip and King silently chuckled at his back. Now that the two of them had made up, they were glad to take sport against the one who had opened his mouth and caused their miscommunication in the first place.

Luckily for them, Mrs. Cook had taken a break from looking over the ledger and was nowhere to be found. Somewhat relieved that he wouldn't have to stop and explain himself to Mrs. Cook, Jack continued on his way up to the bunks, closely followed by King and Gip.

But, when he entered the bunkroom, he was surprised to see Mrs. Cook doubled over a figure on the floor.

"Stress? Mrs. Cook, what happened to Stress?"

Mrs. Cook whirled around and stood up to face Gip, momentarily ignoring the presence of the boys in the bunkroom. "I don't right know, my dear. I was downstairs going over the books when I heard a yell and the sound of something falling down. I got upstairs as quickly as my old legs allowed, but she was like this and she still hasn't opened her eyes."

Jack stood dumbstruck, his face a pale shade of green, as King rushed past Gip and Mrs. Cook in order to scoop Stress up into his arms. "Ma'am, do you have a separate room here for the ill?"

Finally Mrs. Cook noticed that both King and Jack were standing behind her in the bunkroom, but she said nothing about it. "Why, yes. It's down these stairs and to the right."

King nodded and began to descend the stairs, followed closely by both Gip and Mrs. Cook. Jack remained behind for a moment in order to pick up a piece of paper that was to the side of the bunk before heading down to the sick room himself. He slipped in behind Mrs. Cook just in time to see King lay Stress down on the bed.

Mrs. Cook placed a thin blanket over Stress' pale frame before nodding to the others. "Thank you, my dears, but I think we should let her rest for the moment. Maybe that's what she needs."

Both King and Gip returned the nod and backed out of the room, but Jack remained standing where he was. "Can I stay and wait for Stress to wake up?"

Mrs. Cook sighed but knew she had no choice but to give in. She knew from experience how stubborn Jack could be. "Fine, Cowboy. But only until curfew. You have a little over an hour."

Jack smiled a small smile and plopped himself down by the side of Stress' bed. Mrs. Cook looked at him briefly, shaking her head, and left the room, making sure to shut the door behind her so that the other girls wouldn't upset Stress' rest.

Once he heard the door click, Jack took his eyes off of Stress, removed the piece of paper from his pocket and quickly skimmed it. Then, with a flash of rage, he tore up the note and scattered the pieces across the floor. Once it was strewn about, Jack got on his knees and leaned against the bed, sitting in silence as he watched Stress continue to sleep.

**The Bottle Alley Sick Room**

It wasn't until countless minutes had ticked by before Jack opened his mouth to say something. "I'm so sorry, Stressie. This is all my fault. If it wasn't for that stupid secret - that stupid lie. You were right to call me out on it, but what did I do? I brought your past into it. I brought up that piece of filth and made you relive the memories. I should have known better, but my pride got in the way. I couldn't handle the fact that I hurt you by lying so I tried to make myself look better by showing that you lie too. But I didn't mean what I said, I didn't mean it. I didn't mean it at all."

There was no answer. Stress slept on.

Jack continued to stare, the guilt smoldering inside him like a fervent flame. "If it wasn't for my stupid remarks making you remember him, you would've never even looked twice at that note. But, no. Because I upset you, your head wasn't able to accept that he was still out there. You worked so hard these past two years to make yourself think that nothing happened -- that he really didn't exist. And, in a few short minutes, all that illusion was shattered." Jack paused for a moment and, with a wistful smile, he whispered, "And here I thought you were done with these fainting spells."

"Cowboy?"

Jack spun around, startled, and found himself staring at Gypsy's knees. Quickly, fighting a blush, grateful it was so dark in the sick room, Jack stood up and faced Gip. "Hi."

"Mrs. Cook says that it's time for you to go. Ya wouldn't want to miss curfew now."

"No, I guess not." Jack knelt down once more by the bedside and swooped up his cowboy hat. Placing the hat on top of his head, he walked over to the door. But, before he actually exited, he turned around and looked to where Gip had taken his place on the floor. "Um, Gip -- how long were you at the door?"

A sad smile formed on Gip's face. "Long enough, Cowboy, long enough."

The Bottle Alley Sick Room - later that night.

Gypsy only had to wait another hour by Stress' bedside to see her open her eyes. "Wake up, sleepyhead."

Stress rubbed her eyes and tried to make out the face in the dim candlelight. "Gip, is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me. How are ya feeling?"

Stress shook her head, clearing it of the horrid memories that had filled it. "A wee bit better."

"Good. We were worried about you, collapsing on the bunkroom floor like that."

"We?"

Gip nodded. "Yeah, we. Well, Mrs. Cook, me, King & Cowboy, to be exact. Ya see, it was Mrs. Cook who found you and King who carried you down here. But it was Cowboy who sat here with you for the first hour and half to see if you'd wake up. I switched spots with him when Mrs. Cook finally kicked him out."

Stress scowled. "What was he doing here? I guess he just wanted to call me a 'dirty whore' again as he rubs my past in my face."

"I guess those were the stupid remarks he was talking about, then."

"He told you?" exclaimed Stress, sitting up rapidly.

Gip chuckled. "Calm down there, Stress_ie_. It's only to you that he tells things to when he ain't supposed to."

Ignoring the cheek, Stress questioned, "Then how the hell do you know that he said those nasty things to me?"

"I, um, kinda overheard Cowboy apologizing to you when he thought he was by himself. He seems to think it was all his fault that you fainted. I swear, I never saw him look so sad and guilty, not even when he sold Mush's favorite hat for a nickel."

"Why the hell did he feel guilty? I mean, yes he lied and yes he called me names, but that ain't why I passed out like that. It was that letter I got, the letter from Rip." Stress shuddered as she said the name, as if it left a nasty taste in her mouth.

Gip picked up various pieces of torn paper and let them flutter down in front of the candle's flam so that Stress could see them. "Yeah, well, I'm guessing that Cowboy took care of that too."

"So, Jack read the letter. Probably thinks I'm a bigger whore now."

"Are you crazy? He was so worried about ya. He said something like 'you worked hard to imagine that none of what happened actually happened', but because of his own stupidity, 'the illusion was shattered' and you were in pain."

Stress listened, trying to make sense of everything that had happened throughout the day. And the day had started so normally, too.

Gip, feeling sorry for the mess Stress was in, stood by her side, giving Stress time to mull everything over before saying anything else. By now, Gip knew how important it was to listen and think instead of overhearing conversations and jumping to conclusions. Finally, when the silence became too much and her body began to cry out for some sleep of her own, Gip blew out the candles in the sick room. "Mrs. Cook said she wants you to spend the rest of the night down here, just in case."

Stress nodded, lying back down, prepared to fall back asleep herself, wanting to forget all the confusion that was filling her head.

But, before Gip actually left the room, she had one parting remark: "You don't know how lucky you are to have someone who truly cares about you."

Stress never got to fall back asleep that night.

---

Well, that brings me to the end of _Secrets Behind the Lies_. I will have one more chapter, a somewhat epilogue, but don't forget to check out _Cuts Like A Knife_, _One Year Anniversary_, and the Fourth story, _Can't Keep Running_, coming soon.


	20. Epilogue

**Title**: Secrets Behind the Lies

**Author**: Stress

**First written**: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004

**Edited and replaced**: May 16, 2006

**Summary**: _Part II of the Soul Mates Series_; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.

**Author's Note**: I can not believe this. After beginning this in 2002, and _supposedly_ completing this in 2004, turns out I never posted the last chapter – the epilogue. I wrote this thing back in March of 2004 and just never put it up. And I never caught onto it. Just so you all know, I feel like the world's biggest idiot. So, if there is anyone out there who actually read this, I'm sorry. It may be 2 years later, but **now** _SBtL_ is really finished.

--

**Epilogue**

Bright and early on the appointed morning, only three days since he and Spindle had set their plan, Rip was surrounded by eight people, all carrying small sacks and bags and ready to go. Wait -- eight people? There was supposed to be nine. Who wasn't there?

_Danger_.

At the exact moment when he realized that they were one shy, Spindle came to the front of the group, he vivid green eyes livid. "He ain't here." There was no need for her to acknowledge who the "he" was -- they all knew.

Which also meant that Rip was expecting this. "Don't worry, my love. He can't have gone very far. And, no matter where he has gone, I'm sure one of my friends will welcome him. And I have many friends who would love to say hello to someone who has left without my leave."

As the others began to worry for Danger, and also wonder why they themselves were following this unstable teen, Spindle took Rip by the arm and steered him away. "I don't get it, Rip. If you have all of these contacts who will be out looking for Danger now, why haven't we gotten one of them to take out our little problem in Manhattan?"

The cocky smile he normally wore slid off of his handsome face as he brought up his hand to meet Spindle's cheek. "I make the plans around here, Spindle. And this one I want to take care of personally. Understand?"

Spindle winced from the pain as she willed herself not to retaliate. She should have known better. "I understand."

And if the others had any doubts as to why there were doing Rip's bidding, the doubts were assuaged as they watched the tough newsgirl being brought down to her knees -- and they were afraid.

Rip looked at the fear openly displayed on all of their faces and grinned. If only his li'l miss could see him now – she didn't know what fear was. "But she will, she will. I will see you soon, my love."

- - -

At that very moment, as the lot from Queens were just setting out, Mrs. Cook, entirely unaware of the previous day's occurence, woke up the Bottle Alley girls bright and early, just as she had done the morning before. And, like the morning before, all of the girls put up a resistance to it, if only to catch a few more minutes of sleep before going out to sell newspapers.

That is, to say, all of the girls save for two. Both Stress and Gip had already washed up and left for their day's work.

When the other girls arrived at the distribution center later that morning, they were surprised to see a solemn looking Gip standing side by side with Stress, trying hard not to let the tears in her dark blue eyes fall.

Mockin' Boid, with a sense of motherly compassion, began to walk towards Gip but stopped when Stress caught her eye and shook her head. MB understood -- Gip, for some reason, needed to be alone.

Quickly MB caught the arms of the other girls and indicated that they should give Gip her time and room to breathe. She would tell them what was wrong when she was ready.

But Quirky couldn't help but ask aloud, "What's wrong?"

"Hey girls. Ready to sell papes?"

Tearing their eyes away from where Gip and Stress stood on the side, the majority of the girls turned to face Racetrack, Blink and Jake who had just approached them, armfuls of papers slung on their shoulders.

Bookie nodded, accepting newspapers from Racetrack as MB, Moth and the others all approached the line to buy their own papers, silently nodding their greetings to Stress and Gip, "Yeah, Race. We was just wondering what was wrong with those two."

Race flicked his cigar and, as he watched his ashes fall to the dirt, he had a sad look in his eye. "Turns out King up and left Manhattan this morning. Went back home to Connecticut and everything."

Quirky gasped, but Martini was still puzzled. "Wow, that's sad and all -- I mean, King was the best leader Manhattan has ever had -- but why does our Gip look like she's holding back tears?"

Blink, who also looked pained though his normal grin seemed to deny it, nodded towards Gip. "It also turns out that he and Gip were together. Together for quite some time, too. Hard to believe our little Gypsy had a heart, eh?"

As Martini and Bookie stood around shocked, surprised that that fact had been hidden from them for so long, Quirky took a step toward Gip, but stopped when Jake put out his hand. "No, wait," he said under his breath as pointed slightly in Gip's direction.

For, at that moment, the teetering tears began to dribble slowly down Gip's face.

Quirky and the others may not have approached her, but Stress was still by her side. Putting away her own confusion and relief, Stress had accompanied Gip to say her final goodbyes to King as he set off for Connecticut. Of course she had let them say their own private goodbyes once more while she waited a block away so she had no idea what to say to counter King's parting words. Instead, she just put a comforting arm around Gip as she watched her tears fall.

Gip, uncharacteristically, did not shake the arm off. Instead, in a deep throated whisper, filled with sorrow, she said, "It's all over, Stress. This is the end."

Stress began to nod in reassurance but stopped when her eyes fell on Jack, sitting on the side of the distribution center, waiting for her to come talk to him or for himself to get up enough courage to approach her. Trying hard to ignore the butterflies in her stomach and fighting (and failing) to keep a smile from coming to her face, Stress replied, "No, it's not, Gip. It's not the end, it's only the beginning."


End file.
